BENTON — The Benton Select Board approved a change this week that would change the town’s fiscal year from the conventional calendar year to one that would begin July 1.
The decision Monday means residents must vote on the change at the annual Town Meeting in March, board Chairman Doug Dixon said Tuesday.
The board decided to change the fiscal year to make it consistent with the school district and state.
If voters were to approve the proposed change, the town would have a municipal budget that runs through December of this year.
Voters in November would then vote on a six-month budget that would run through June 2023.
After that, residents would vote on a budget every June that would cover the full fiscal year — July 1 through June 30.
In other matters, the Select Board:
• Discussed an upcoming meeting with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to discuss a proposal for the Kennebec Water District to expand its service area to reach residents with private wells contaminated with PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.”
• Approved a change to quarterly payments for property taxes, which is to go to a town vote in June.
• Approved the purchase of a standby pump for the town’s sewer stations. Residents agreed to the purchase several years ago.
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